Above all else, Stephen W. Sears’ 2001 account To The Gates Of Richmond: The Peninsula Campaign demonstrates the power of resolute combat leadership.The book shows how determined, decisive action can often trump a larger opponent when willful leadership is applied.

Jackson was horrible at the Seven Days, at least according to Foote ...

The battle of Glendale is where Jackson really dropped the ball. He failed to send his troops forward, which would have crushed two Union corps. It is said, that by that point in the campaign, he was thoroughly exhausted.

McClellan, himself, was off on some naval gunboat having dinner(during Glendale). He was oblivious to his army's well being.

I have read this book and it is very good. Anything Sears writes is worth reading.

Of American Civil War novels there seems to be little that gets behind the eyes of rank-and-file soldiers to depict the war as close to realistic as possible.Novels set in during the war deal with either the commanders, such as with Micheal and Jeff Shaara’s trilogy, or with the rewriting of history such as the works produced by the Newt Gingrich/William R. Forstchen team.There are also novels of the more romantic, epic variety such as Bernard Cornwell’s Nathaniel Starbuck Chronicles and John Jakes North and South trilogy.Novels of literary realism that depict the common soldier in action, such as Stephen Crane’s ever-present The Red Badge of Courage, are far less common.Shelby Foote’s Shiloh: A Novel, however, fits in this category while including gems for fans of history.

Thats a great review, and I read that novel, years ago, and remember it fondly. I could smell the magnolia flowers and ardor of the Southern staff officer on Johnston's staff. But then, become embroiled in the "dirty work" of a Union soldier. Despite that, Foote, a terriffic story teller in the Faulk or Twain manner, absoulutely falls short against the more polished Michael Shaara's work. I loved Mr. Foote's work and met him on several ocassions, and as a Southern man, loved his story telling skills. His voice alone is haunting and of the peroid and would transfer better to an audio version, but alas, its gone to the ages.
(FWI) He Passed almost the same time as Brian C. Pohanka, another friend, victor of the cause. I knew, and remember both men vividly. Sorry for my spelling and writing skills, Jim Beam is not condusive to great litteracy.

No, I did not write this. WriterJWA has very kindly offered to continue our book review section. I just have to give him instructions on how to post these himself. But he emailed me his first article. If you like this sort of content on the site, please leave him some feedback.

I've also put the Book Review section back on the home page, since he will be sending more of his work to the site.

This is the fourth and final review of the inaugural titles in the South Carolina Regimental-Roster Set series from Broadfoot Publishing Company. A significant portion of each review will show you how this particular volume compared to the others in the series in terms of regimental history length, amount of annotation, depth and print size of rosters, bibliography, illustrations, and maps. I do this to show readers just how different each volume can be. The South Carolina Regimental-Roster Set bears a striking external appearance to the H.E. Howard Virginia Regimental Histories series. These books were, in fact designed as a South Carolina answer to the Virginia unit histories. Broadfoot hopes to publish 50 volumes in this set, but that plan is dependent on how well these and subsequent books in the series sell. If you are interested in seeing this entire series printed, I encourage you to pick up these volumes immediately rather than put off purchases until later.

As a Civil War general, how would you go about avoiding the wrath of Union Major General Phil Sheridan? The three generals Sheridan sacked, William W. Averell, Alfred T. A. Torbert, and Gouvernour K. Warren, probably should have asked rising star Ranald Mackenzie according to author Jay W. Simson. In Crisis of Command in the Army of the Potomac: Sheridan’s Search for an Effective General, author Simson covers the Civil War careers of the Union generals above, detailing how three of them met their demise at the hands of Sheridan while the fourth, Ranald Mackenzie, earned his praise and admiration.